"Julien Sunier has rapidly emerged as one of Beaujolais' new star producers"
[William Kelley, WA]
Beaujolais has long had a tradition of intergenerational continuity, where many of its most foundational estates are led by the children and grandchildren of the original founders. In the case of Julien Sunier, his path to becoming one of Beaujolais' most highly regarded winemakers was defined by a hair salon and an internship with one of Burgundy's most revered winemakers.
Born in Dijon in Burgundy to a family with no winemaking background, Sunier's early path was uncertain. But his mother's hair salon had a regular client: Christophe Roumier, an icon of finessed Burgundy who would offer Sunier his first internship in a pivotal moment that shaped Sunier's winemaking future entirely.
After working with Roumier in Chambolle-Musigny, Sunier built a broad base of experience in New Zealand and Northern California before returning to work with two more Burgundian visionaries, Nicolas Potel and Jean-Claude Rateau. Despite his personal history and extensive resume in Burgundy, when the time came to establish his own estate, he landed on the other side of Burgundy's regional border: Beaujolais.
Sunier launched his domaine in 2005 with only a few hectares of old Gamay vines across some of Beaujolais' key cru sites: Morgon, Régnié, and most importantly, Fleurie. Since his first commercial vintage in 2008, his style has been defined by both his personal history (Burgundy precision, global exposure, and a strong interest in biodynamics) and the core tenets of the modern Beaujolais movement (terroir expression, organic farming, semi-carbonic maceration, low sulfur). Those elements together make Sunier one of the most uniquely compelling producers in the region, with wines that sit stylistically between classic cru Beaujolais and precise, high-toned Burgundy.
The lift, finesse, and floral aromatics of Fleurie's granite-rich soils are ideally suited to Sunier's Burgundian approach, balancing structure and perfume. It's no wonder, then, that he has repeatedly highlighted it as his favorite cru and the best expression of his philosophy. Sunier doesn't make simple “glou-glou” Fleurie; he instead coaxes remarkable depth and tension from his 60+ year old vines, striking tremendous harmony in its balance of delicacy and boundless energy.
The warmth of the 2022 vintage provided perfect context for the impact of Sunier's precise winemaking. His 2022 Fleurie is silky, supple, and juicy with fine tannin and firm structure, its buoyant palate of raspberry, wild strawberry, Morello cherry lifted by elegant wildflower aromatics and savory nuance.
As serious and layered as it is generous and approachable, it's a rare bottle that offers both long aging potential and immediate pleasure.